All work and no play?

March 12, 2014

SPENCER HAWVER
Staff Writer

Students balance demanding schedules between work and school

Part-time jobs are usually associated with high-school students earning spending money during the summer. However, in today’s tough economy, college students are searching high and low for an extra bit of change through part-time jobs, while being full-time students.
Some students even work multiple jobs on campus in order to help pay for tuition or to simply earn some spending money. Working multiple jobs and being a full-time student can be a lot to handle, but the rewards are worth the effort.
Sophomore Brooke Totzeck works as a Wesleyan Ambassador in the admissions office and also has a work-study job in the admissions office. As an ambassador, Totzeck gives tours to future Marlins and is an active member in the recruiting process at VWC.
A common misconception among students is that having a job can make scheduling classes difficult and can conflict with other aspects of their lives.
Totzeck said, “I was able to get into a routine with my work and class schedule, and I only missed work once for a class-related reason.”
Sophomore Sarah Pybus-Elmore is an active member in the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and participates in numerous activities within the sorority on top of her two jobs and classes.
“It is difficult to balance; I am not only balancing work and school, I am balancing work, school, a social life and the sorority,” said Pybus-Elmore.
Time-management is a real challenge for students who balance work and school. It becomes difficult to keep track of one’s daily activities.
Sophomore Toni Owens said, “It is impossible to balance because it is time consuming. If I did not have a calendar I would be lost.”
Totzeck believes that on-campus jobs for students are, overall, a very important and beneficial aspect of college. In addition to being able to make money to help pay for tuition and other aspects of college life, such as those late-night food runs or a trip to the grocery store for toiletries, Totzeck said that having a job has helped her become a better-rounded individual.
“My time management skills have improved,” said Totzeck, “and I work in a professional setting that has given me office skills that could be useful in the future.”
So, contrary to the common misconception that having a job makes students unable to enjoy the college life, Totzeck, Pybus-Elmore and Owens have proven that students can still enjoy their college careers while working multiple jobs and the jobs can even make the experience a little better.